Croatian Christmas Cookies: 7 Traditional Recipes

Croatian Christmas cookies and cakes vary from region to region, but some are baked in almost every home: walnut and poppy seed rolls inland, fritule on the coast, and honey cookies, pepper cookies and vanilla crescents everywhere. In this article we share seven traditional recipes with exact quantities, oven temperatures and how long each keeps. For each one we name the recipe source, so you know where the measurements come from.

These Christmas cookies are for home bakers who want to try the classics or remember their grandmother's measurements. The order follows a baking logic: yeast doughs first, then small cookies that keep for weeks, then fritule for Christmas Eve and breskvice to finish.

Christmas cookies - quick overview

Quantities are taken from one named source for each recipe and have not been changed. Details on each one follow below.

1. Orehnjača (walnut roll)

Photo: Roberta F., Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Orehnjača is a yeast roll filled with ground walnuts and, together with the poppy seed roll, the most common Christmas cake in central Croatia, Slavonia, Baranja and Lika, according to Index.hr. The recipe is from Coolinarika and Podravka, and tportal's recipe matches it almost to the gram.

1. Mix the fresh yeast with 50 ml of lukewarm milk, 10 g of sugar and 30 g of flour and leave it to rise.
2. Add the salt, yolks, egg, milk, sugar, melted butter, lemon zest, sour cream, rum and yeast to the flour and knead a smooth dough.
3. Cover and leave somewhere warm until doubled.
4. Pour hot milk over the walnuts and add the sugar, honey, cinnamon, lemon zest, vanilla sugar and raisins soaked in rum.
5. Divide the dough in two, roll out, spread with the filling and roll up tightly.
6. Place in a tin or on a tray and let it rise again.
7. Brush with egg and bake for 40-50 minutes at about 200 °C. Dust with icing sugar once cool.

Pros: a classic eaten across almost all of inland Croatia, two rolls from one batch, can be frozen

Cons: yeast dough needs time and a warm kitchen, the top crust can separate from the filling

Our opinion: To stop the crust separating, Coolinarika advises kneading the dough well, rolling it evenly and cooling the baked roll upside down on a board under a cloth. It pays to bake two and freeze one for New Year.

2. Makovnjača (poppy seed roll)

Photo: Maksym Kozlenko, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Few Christmas cookies and cakes are as alike as the poppy seed roll and the walnut roll: the same yeast dough, but with a ground poppy seed filling. Together with the walnut roll it is a Christmas table standard in central Croatia and Slavonia, according to Index.hr. The recipe is by Lilest on Coolinarika, also published on Podravka's site.

1. Mix the yeast in part of the lukewarm milk with a little sugar and flour and leave it to rise.
2. Add the salt, sugar, yolks, lemon zest and yeast to the flour and knead with the rest of the warm milk in which the butter has melted.
3. Leave somewhere warm to rise. Do not knead the risen dough again, just divide it.
4. Mix the poppy seeds with the sugar and vanilla sugar, pour over boiling milk, add the butter and leave to cool.
5. Roll each piece of dough into a rectangle of about 33 x 30 cm, spread with the filling and roll up.
6. Place on a tray and leave to rise again.
7. Brush with butter or egg white and bake at 175 °C for about 45 minutes. If it browns too fast, cover with baking paper.

Pros: three rolls from one batch, the filling is quick, freezes very well

Cons: a dry filling means a separated crust, poppy seed is not to everyone's taste

Our opinion: The recipe's author warns that the filling must not be too dry, or the baked crust will separate, so do not skimp on the milk. If your household loves both walnut and poppy seed, bake one of each from the same dough.

3. Medenjaci (honey cookies)

Photo: SpeedyGonsales, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

Of all the small cookies, medenjaci are Christmas cookies with a long tradition, as the home version of the gingerbread makers' craft. The gingerbread craft of northern Croatia, which also gives us the famous licitar hearts in the photo, was added to UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list in 2010. The recipe is "Najbolji medenjaci, bakin recept" from Coolinarika; other recipes differ in the amount of honey and the temperature.

1. Mix the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves, sugar and vanilla sugar.
2. Cut the butter into small pieces and rub it into the dry ingredients.
3. Add the yolks, egg and honey and knead the dough by hand.
4. Shape medium-sized balls and form them as you like, then brush with egg white.
5. Bake at 180 °C for 18 minutes.

Pros: simple dough with no rising, honey acts as a natural preservative so they keep for weeks, easy to decorate

Cons: they turn hard if overbaked, the source does not give a yield

Our opinion: Medenjaci are the first thing to bake, since they keep for up to four weeks. Coolinarika warns not to overbake them and to store them in a closed tin somewhere cool and dry.

4. Paprenjaci (pepper cookies)

Photo: Roberta F., Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Paprenjak has existed since at least the 16th century and takes its name from pepper (papar), once an expensive and rare spice. August Šenoa described a paprenjak seller in his 1871 novel "Zlatarevo zlato", according to Wikipedia. The recipe is from the Zagreb Tourist Board.

1. Sift the flour, then add the walnuts, spices, pepper, orange zest and (baking soda).
2. Add the lard and mix until crumbly.
3. Mix in the egg, yolks and honey and knead into a ball.
4. Wrap and leave somewhere cool for 60 minutes.
5. Roll out to 0.5 cm thick, press with wooden moulds and cut into squares.
6. Bake at 200 °C for about 25 minutes according to the source, but watch the colour (see note).

Note: the source mentions baking soda in the method but not its quantity. 25 minutes at 200 °C is long for dough 0.5 cm thick; another recipe bakes paprenjaci at 180 °C for 8-12 minutes, until golden.

Pros: part of a Zagreb tradition centuries old, they get better with time, a lovely gift

Cons: sources differ on baking time, you need wooden moulds for the proper look

Our opinion: Bake paprenjaci ten to fifteen days before Christmas and let them rest. When baking, do not just watch the clock: once the edges turn golden, they are done.

5. Fritule

Photo: Roberta F., Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

While inland Christmas cookies come out of the oven, fritule are fried. They belong to Dalmatia, Istria and Kvarner and are traditionally made during Advent and on Christmas Eve, according to Index.hr. Rum or rakija is added so the dough absorbs less oil. The recipe is by nada- on Coolinarika and makes a large batch, for the whole family.

1. Pour the rum and rakija into a bowl, grate in the zest, and add the salt, sugar, vanilla sugar and egg.
2. Warm the milk and add the water; dissolve the yeast in a decilitre of lukewarm water.
3. Pour the yeast into the bowl, add the rest of the water and gradually work in the flour, plus raisins if you like.
4. Cover and leave somewhere warm until doubled.
5. Heat the oil, scoop the dough with a spoon dipped in water and drop it into the oil, not too many at once.
6. Fry until golden, drain and roll in icing sugar while still warm.

Pros: quick to fry once the dough has risen, rum reduces oil absorption, ideal for a crowd

Cons: a large batch for a small family, they do not keep and are eaten the same day

Our opinion: Fritule are the only item on the list that is not made ahead, but on Christmas Eve itself. If 850 g of flour is too much, halve all the ingredients, and drain the fritule on kitchen paper as Index.hr advises.

6. Vanilin kiflice (vanilla crescents)

Photo: Schlurcher, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

Not all of our Christmas cookies are home-grown: vanilla crescents come from Vienna and reached Croatia with the Austro-Hungarian tradition. According to tradition, the crescent shape celebrates the victory over the Ottomans in 1683, but that is a legend, writes Index.hr. The recipe is from Coolinarika and Podravka.

1. Mix both flours, the icing sugar and baking powder, add the egg and butter and knead a dough.
2. Mix in the walnuts, vanilla sugar and sour cream if using.
3. Wrap the dough in cling film and chill for at least an hour, as Index.hr advises.
4. Shape crescents and place them on a tray lined with baking paper.
5. Bake at 180 °C for about 15 minutes.
6. Roll in icing sugar mixed with vanilla sugar while still warm.

Pros: crumbly and quick, no rising, keep for up to three weeks

Cons: the dough crumbles if not chilled, only about 20 pieces per batch

Our opinion: For crescents of the same size, Index.hr suggests each piece of dough should weigh about 9 grams, so a kitchen scale really helps here. Roll them in sugar while warm, otherwise it will not stick.

7. Breskvice (peach cookies)

Photo: Robssmk, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

If any Christmas cookies stand out on the platter, it is breskvice: cookies filled with walnut and rum cream and coloured red or yellow on the outside to look like real peaches. According to Index.hr they were a must for Christmas a hundred years ago. The recipe is "Fine breskvice" by MASATERA on Coolinarika.

1. Whisk the egg whites with the salt and sugar until stiff, then add the oil, lemon zest, vanilla sugar and rum.
2. Gradually mix in the yolks and the flour combined with baking powder.
3. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes, ideally overnight.
4. Shape small smooth balls and bake at 180 °C for 15-20 minutes.
5. Once cool, carefully hollow out the halves with a teaspoon and keep the crumbs.
6. Pour hot milk over the walnuts and mix with the crumbs, margarine, cocoa, rum, lemon juice and icing sugar.
7. Fill the halves, join them in pairs, dip the tops in the coloured water and roll in granulated sugar. Leave to dry for a few hours.

Pros: striking look on the platter, large batch, can be frozen

Cons: the most work of all seven, the balls crack if there is too much flour in the dough

Our opinion: Breskvice are an afternoon project, ideally with children who like colouring and rolling in sugar. Coolinarika advises only dusting the work surface with flour rather than adding it to the dough, or the balls crack while baking.

When to bake Christmas cookies

Conclusion: which Christmas cookies to bake

Christmas cookies do not all have to be baked in the same week. Paprenjaci, medenjaci and vanilla crescents keep for weeks, so you can bake them at the start of Advent. Bake the walnut and poppy seed rolls a few days before Christmas, or earlier and freeze them, and leave the fritule for Christmas Eve. According to Coolinarika, baked small cookies keep for up to six weeks in the freezer at -18 °C.

Traditional Christmas cookies do not have to be a complicated project. If you only pick three this year, make the walnut roll for an inland-style table, medenjaci for a tin that lasts all of Advent, and fritule for Christmas Eve. Mulled wine goes well with them, and for that see our pick of mulled wine pots. For crescents, paprenjaci and medenjaci you also need good baking pans.

Frequently asked questions

What are the traditional Croatian Christmas cookies?

The most common traditional Christmas cookies and cakes are walnut and poppy seed rolls inland, fritule in Dalmatia, Istria and Kvarner, and medenjaci, paprenjaci, vanilla crescents and breskvice in most regions. Medenjaci and licitar hearts belong to northern Croatia and its UNESCO-listed gingerbread craft.

When should I start baking Christmas cookies?

Bake paprenjaci 10-15 days ahead, as they improve with time. Medenjaci keep 2-4 weeks and vanilla crescents 2-3 weeks, so they can be baked at the start of Advent. Bake walnut and poppy seed rolls 2-3 days before Christmas, and fritule on Christmas Eve.

How do I stop a walnut roll cracking and the crust separating?

Knead the dough well and roll it out evenly. Take the baked roll out of the tin, turn it top side down on a board, cover with a cloth and let it cool slowly. For the poppy seed roll, make sure the filling is not too dry.

How long do medenjaci keep?

Medenjaci keep for 2-4 weeks in a closed tin, because honey acts as a natural preservative. They can harden a little over time, so do not overbake them and store them somewhere cool and dry.

Can Christmas cookies be frozen?

Yes, and frozen Christmas cookies save time in the last week. Walnut and poppy seed rolls keep up to two months in the freezer, and baked small cookies up to six weeks at -18 °C. Cool them completely before freezing and wrap them straight away. Breskvice can be frozen too.

How we chose

These Christmas cookies were chosen by how widespread they are on the Croatian holiday table, using overviews from Index.hr and tportal on regional Christmas customs. For each one we took a recipe from a named source (Coolinarika, Podravka, Zagreb Tourist Board) and compared it with at least one other. We did not change the quantities; where sources differ or something is missing, we say so clearly. We did not test the recipes ourselves.

Sources

1. UNESCO - Gingerbread craft from Northern Croatia
2. Index.hr - holiday treats across Croatia
3. Index.hr - Christmas cakes baked in Croatia 100 years ago
4. Coolinarika - Orehnjača
5. Zagreb Tourist Board - paprenjaci
6. Coolinarika - Fine breskvice
7. Coolinarika - freezing cakes and cookies

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